The present application relates to a test cell. More particularly, the application relates to a test cell for use in analysis of microbeads.
In biochemical analysis of nucleic acids or proteins or the like, particulate supports called “microbeads” have been used. For instance, in nucleic acid analysis, microbeads on the surfaces of which a probe nucleic acid chain having a base sequence complementary to a target nucleic acid chain is fixed as a solid phase have been used to separate the target nucleic acid chain on the basis of its interaction with the probe nucleic acid chain. Similarly, in protein analysis, microbeads on the surfaces of which an antibody relevant to a target protein is fixed as a solid phase have been used to separate the target protein.
The target nucleic acid chain or the target protein separated through trapping on the surfaces of the microbeads can be optically detected by preliminarily labeling it with a fluorescent substance. In addition, by measuring the fluorescence intensity of the bead surfaces, it is also possible to determine the target substance thus separated. Where the target substance is a nucleic acid chain, an intercalator capable of emitting fluorescent light by being taken in between hybrid chains formed by an interaction between the target nucleic acid chain and the probe nucleic acid chain has been used to optically detect the target nucleic acid chain separated.
Now, an example of optical detection method for microbeads will be described. First, a dispersion in which microbeads are dispersed is placed on a measuring substrate, and a cover glass is disposed on that surface of the measuring substrate on which the dispersion is placed, to form a cell for measurement. Light is cast from a light source provided over the cell, and a transmission image or fluorescent image of the microbeads is picked up by an imaging device such as CCD or CMOS arranged over the cell.
For more information, refer to Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2009-270946, JP-T-2005-504275 and JP-T-2008-505321.